Social Media is NOT One Size Fits All

In a day where companies are rushing to get their social media campaigns up and running, the technical SEO guys that are usually in charge of the efforts need to be clear that automating and collecting social media profiles can be more detrimental to your company than not having a profile in social media at all. The first urge is to make sure your company is present on all the major outlets, but if you start there you are jumping in the game at half time without even warming up or stretching – and you run a real risk of injury.

Instead, please take a deep breath, and approach this as you would any other major campaign to be sure you understand how to appropriately address the audience of that social media outlet because the golden rule is not good enough on social media – it has a standard that starts at platinum. You no longer need to treat people how you want to be treated – it is all about you learning how they want to be treated and then giving them what they want. Know your clients and current audience, then find the segments of your audience that are represented by that social media outlet to begin to develop your approach. I try to pay attention to highly successful traditional strategies that can transfer to the digital iteration in today’s market. Also keep in mind that no one buys in social media, they do however shop, so social media needs to be your reception area.

Here is my take for the best approach and quick insights into each of the major platforms that can help you along the way:

Facebook

Demographics are all over the board, and have a very wide application. The best opportunity for this platform is very much like WOM advertising in generations past. People are looking for responsiveness to their efforts to connecting with you and an insider type of access to your general offerings. Although not what it once was, still a viable option for specific demographics and target audiences.

Google+

The new Facebook with implications for your SEO efforts. These social indicators have (contrary to some SEOs) shown increase to SERP rankings in my experience, but also have some business-friendly features like segmentation (circles) and Engagement sessions (hang-outs) that allow businesses more opportunity to be responsive to an individual’s interests.

Twitter

The PR platform. You have the best way of using this to your advantage if you act like this is now your personal PR firm where you can show support, involvement, discontent and/or progress through 140 character statements with hashtags and handles to allow the connections to track and stick across the vast buzz that Twitter can create.

LinkedIn

Your career-focused networking platform that allows you to recruit and network your own career advancements. The approach for this platform needs to mimic a networking event with industry news, tips and tricks for focused aspirational individuals, and those things that lend themselves to cultivating your reputation in your market to prospective partners, clients, employers and employees.

Pinterest/Instagram

The showcase platforms which are also likened to Show-and-Tell in elementary school, but rely heavily on the creation or curation of the visual assets. This works very well for companies that have an opportunity to use designs, compilations, arrangements and unique images to garner attention and play to the tastes and styles of their audiences.

The most important take-aways from this post need to be that in social media demands personal attention for the audience members and the platform that you plan to use. When you try to become a Jack-Of-All-Trades, you really need to prepare and perfect your campaigns to resonate with your target market within the platform before your ROI reminds you that you are a master of none.

Jason comes with almost 10 years of experience in digital marketing and a background in many different industries with a specialization in higher education. He has relocated from Florida to the Westborough area to join the Wakefly family. He has brought with him the holistic and collaborative approach that is ingrained into the Wakefly marketing philosophy.